I have just been reading Val Greenwood’s The Researchers Guide to American Genealogy, in which I came across what I think is a very interesting point. She said; “Perhaps the one thing that would improve the quality of research being done, more than any other single factor, would be a concern for complete families rather than just direct lines.” What she meant of course was that more research should be done regarding collateral kin and associates, but this of course is easier said than done. This type of research involves working with many different records in quite large numbers, and one must be able to instantly recognize what is of value in each, and what is not. It’s difficult enough sometimes researching direct line descendants, but what she said I think is also quite true.

Studying ancestors in their full context has evolved from simply looking for siblings to searching for important companions as well. But it doesn’t just stop there; in-laws, associates, and friends are then placed within their own geographical, cultural and sociological elements. The benefit of this type of genealogical research is that it places your ancestor and his associates in their historical content as well as developing them as individuals. Sometimes known as “cluster genealogy”, it can be very demanding, but equally as rewarding.

There are certain principles however that can make a full genealogical study such as this a little easier. Understanding the relationships between different parties, and how those relationships play out and affect each person, can help genealogists to solve the hardest genealogical problems. The key is in remembering that the relationships between people are important, not just names.

Some Helpful Principles and Their Genealogical Inferences

One thing that sociologists have discovered is that the strongest family ties are between women, the most enduring bond being between mothers and daughters. The implication of this principle for genealogists is that; the best family sources for your genealogical study are probably those related to people with a different surname than the one you’re researching.

Regarding Western society, studies have shown that ties to the family of the wife are stronger than those of her husband, unless the husband’s ties are connected to his occupation. How this is important to genealogical research is that: besides understanding the blood ties between family members, a researcher must also comprehend the business and economic dynamics of family relationships.

It has been shown that immigration or other geographical mobility does not break the social relationships among family members. This information can be especially useful when researching records that may have been destroyed by a fir, floods, or neglect. In such cases; the records detailing the various relationships of family members may have been maintained by a person outside of the geographical location in which you are presently searching, someone removed from the area of destruction.

It is also important to understand the language of the era in which you are researching, as terminology for family relationships may have been different from those used today. If a family relationship is misinterpreted, it could sabotage an entire family tree. For example the terms daughter-in-law and son-in-law at one time meant a child of a spouse from a previous marriage.

Always remember that genealogy is as much about relationships as it is name gathering. People are joined not just by blood, but by law and emotions as well. If you limit your research to only blood relatives of your ancestor, you may miss out on critical clues and important documents.

Sometimes the legal records created by family members who had no heirs, beneficiaries, or descendants can be more useful than those who did. Never overlook a family member, and obtain all the information and data that you can regarding every ancestor.

In colonial times it was assumed that after marriage, spousal relatives became the same as your own. For example, the wife’s nieces and nephews would become the husband’s, and he their uncle. This is a common assumption, but presumptuous in genealogy.

These principles of course can be applied to any genealogical search, but are especially relevant when researching collateral kin. A good practice is to search all the records of any families you think you may be connected to. It is easy to complain that pursuing every collateral line you encounter will produce an impossible amount of surnames to manage, but with modern technology – computers and software – it is made much easier. A last tip is to learn more about the community of the people you are researching. Every culture and community produces records outside of those required by governments. Find those records, and you will undoubtedly find more ancestors and their associates.

I recently had the pleasure of visiting with some of my relatives in Bolton, England. The weather was a bit gloomy as the English weather can sometimes be, but Bolton is a city rich in history, and with a formidable industrial past, that couldn’t help but warm my heart. It’s a blue-collar city, and the inhabitants reflect that hearty down to earth character that makes it a pleasure to tuck unto a rich beef stew or share a few glasses, well pints (excuse my French), of ale with them. And that I did – more ale than stew I have to say. Now after admitting my fondness for the English brew, I feel I may have some trouble convincing you of the worthiness of my next observation. I won’t beat around the bush, I’ll come right out and say it – I saw elephants everywhere I went!

Now before you dismiss me as a flake or assume that perhaps my fondness for ale went a little too far, know this one thing – they weren’t real elephants!  No, I’m not saying that I realize they were imaginary, there are indeed elephants all over Bolton, I did really see them – on buildings, company logos, park benches, and on the Bolton Coat of Arms! Yes it appears the elephant is a popular heraldic mascot for the city whose residents and football team are nicknamed “Trotters” due to their historical affinity for boiled sheep’s feet. The elephant actually represents Bolton’s ancient connection with the county of Coventry, whose Coat of Arms also sports an elephant. But what does the elephant represent you may ask, as I did to, so I went about finding out.

According to the site HeraldryandCrests.com, an elephant represents great stature and strength in conjunction with wisdom, courage and longevity, with a little happiness, royalty, good luck, and ambition thrown in. Those qualities are indeed reflected in the people of Bolton, and I began to appreciate its choice of symbol. The website the Irish Jeweler added “wit” to the mix (again quite fitting), while the Scottish Wedding Dreams website in their section on Heraldic Animals threw in a bit of patience and dignity. Yes, that about sums up the personality of the people of Bolton, and yes, I’m hamming it up to my cousins – I would like to venture there again don’t you know!

If you have managed to stay with me thus far in spite of my apparent delusions in the beginning of this blog, you might want to know that Bolton is as rich in genealogical resources as it is in character. The Bolton History Centre offers a vast array of resources for family historians, including workshops and seminars, and of course I couldn’t help but drop in. The local archivist Caroline Furey and the local studies librarian Julie Lamara were very welcoming, as is the entire staff of the centre. They are definitely dedicated to assisting visitors in getting the most out of their visit, and are happy to carry put research on your behalf. The only disappointment I had was that I wasn’t offered a spot of tea. Thought I was going to say glass of ale didn’t you!

Most of the holdings of the history centre are locally focused, but they also maintain a collection of national records such as census returns, copies of the GRO Index and the National Probate Index. In addition there are original archives on everything form estate records to trade union records, while the centre’s staff has created an impressive surname index combined with biographical clippings and obituaries. The archive also holds burgess rolls, apprenticeship indentures, police records, title deeds, and church registers – both Roman Catholic and Church of England. If you’re interested in learning more about Bolton and the historical records you might find there, you can visit their website, which is managed by the Bolton Museum and Archive Service.

If you have Bolton ancestors as I have, you should surely pay it a visit, after all it was recently voted Britain’s friendliest town, and no not by me and my elephants, in a survey taken by the British Association for the Advancement of Science, so there!

All of us inevitably encounter what might seem like an insurmountable obstacle during our genealogical search. Dead ends and brick walls have discouraged many a researcher, especially beginners who encounter them in the early stages of their research. Some of these problems may indeed be insurmountable – trails do end, and ancestors go unfound. A good genealogist though, will want to make absolutely sure there is no more information to be found before moving on to the next ancestor or phase of their project.

In my own personal search for my ancestors, I have encountered three major problems that can be overcome with a systematic approach:

• Beginning research on a new family line that has never before been investigated. This can include a family that has had nothing published about it, a family that does have information published but it is of a poor quality, or a family for which current dead ends exist.
• Correcting a tradition, belief, family myth or inaccurate material published in a family history. Some histories contain genealogical errors that have been in print for years, and often new research with a fresh approach is needed to correct them.
• Solving a specific identity problem that has remained unsolvable by previous research.

The First Step

The first step to be taken is to present a clear and reasoned summary of the problem. When defining the problem, determine what you already know. This involves performing a rudimentary analysis of every single documented fact you have regarding the individual or family. This doesn’t mean simply listing their vital statistics; it means that you identify exactly where they lived, precisely when they moved there, what they believed in, what events were taking place around them. Sometimes we are too vague when documenting certain facts about our families. True, effective genealogical research involves going deep into the lives of our families. It means going beyond collecting facts about them, finding out who their friends were, who they worked for, who their minister was and such. The more you know about your ancestors life, the easier the task of finding information on them is, and consequently the easier it is to overcome obstacles.

When you assemble and record these types of well researched facts about your ancestor, you’re effectively creating a biological sketch of them. Events are placed in chronological order, especially specific documented events, and consequently their life path is easier to follow. Many researchers have discovered after following this process that the answer to their problem has been with them all along. In addition to recording what you do know, write down exactly what you don’t. This is a great help in directing further research, but so often it is neglected. Simply creating a section entitled “Things I don’t know but would really like to” will make it clear where to go in the next phase of your research.

The Second Step

The next step to problem solving is to tap into what other genealogists know. Remember to always confirm what you are told by others before recording it though. I have, and you may have as well (though I hope not), had the experience of people not being able to tell me where they got the information they were sharing. The information may well be accurate, but it is unusable as its source can’t be initially confirmed This makes our task a little harder, as we then have to go about verifying that data to make sure its not just a family legend. On the other hand, you may find well documented studies, which in turn are a breath of fresh air. You might find such genealogies or family related articles by placing queries in online forums or in genealogy magazines, online databases, published genealogies, or by examining the Periodical Source Index (PERSI).

PERSI is the world’s largest and most avidly utilized index of specific genealogy subjects and local history periodicals that have been written in both English and French. It offers genealogical researchers access to materials that would not normally be available to them. There is an Online Guide and Free Search of it available at FamilySearch.org. Many genealogists overlook this valuable resource, and also this step. Others never move beyond this step, always looking for someone else to provide their answers. When you hit a brick wall you must then really become a researcher; digging deep into records rather than remain a “searcher” – someone simply looking for someone else to provide the answers.

The Third Step

You next must decide what records to use. Some records will provide more relevant information to your research than others, so you will want to make an evaluation before you move forward. Decide on priority, availability, and ease of access, as well as determining how ell preserved each record collection is. The first places we always look are primary record sources, but these easily accessible records don’t always yield the information we require. Many people give up once they realize the information they need is not there, but when the going gets tough, the tough need to look for other sources. Sometimes the records containing the most valuable information are the hardest to find, but of course they will also be the most genealogically rewarding. Not just in the sense of yielding data, but in the research experience and expertise you’ll gain by searching for them. Some examples of such records would be:

• Tax Records
• Federal Land Records
• Diaries
• Circuit Court Records
• Newspaper Accounts
• City Directories
• Local Histories
• County Court records

The Fourth Step

The final and fourth step – the analysis – is the most crucial step in the research process. Any data or records you accumulate must be analyzed both separately and as a group. Often when records are revisited after a period of time and analyzed efficiently, new answers, clues, and perspectives appear. Ask the following questions as you gather your records:

1. Does the record add anything to what I already know? Is it supportive or contradictory of my current knowledge?
2. Who was involved in the creation of this record other than my relative? Is anyone else mentioned in it, and if so, who are they? Are they officials or associates of my ancestor? Do they appear in any other records?
3. Have other records been created to compliment or complete a particular record’s purpose?

Often we find a record that generated other documents, but fail to follow the trail it reveals. Always look for a potential trail when you discover any records, as it is likely to reveal a pattern of behaviour, clues to other records or places to search, or a recurrence of names that may be relevant to your search. Following these steps may not guarantee that you overcome a roadblock or dead end, but it will give you the greatest chance of doing so. Make sure you read our articles on how to find the Ancestry Records you can use to discover your ancestors and which can help to develop the skills you will need to succeed in your genealogical search.

Recently I was searching an online index of probate records for information on one of my ancestors. I wasn’t absolutely sure of his first name, I only had an initial for him, and even that wasn’t absolutely certain as the records that I had got that information from were old and faded. I decided to see if I could match the data that I had by date. I new my ancestor had died in 1900, so I entered that date and the surname Wilde, and clicked the old search button. I got over 100 returns on the information that I had entered, but fortunately many of the deaths were for 1898 and 1899, so I could discount them immediately. As I was browsing down the lists, I noticed an entry for an Oscar Fingal O’flahertie Wills Wilde. Couldn’t be I thought to myself, not the Oscar Wilde!

As I didn’t know Oscar Wilde’s full name, I did a quick Google search, and sure enough, it was a match. I am a big fan of Oscar Wilde, and even though I realized I was being distracted from my initial objective, I decided a little indulgence would do no harm; after all, this was Oscar Wilde! It was a subscription site I was using, so rather than pay immediately to access their records, I signed up for their free trial offer. It’s a good way to access records for free, as long as you remember to cancel the subscription by the specified date. After signing up, I was able to find out that Mr. Wilde had left a mere two hundred pounds upon his death in a Paris hotel in 1900. As I was already a bit off track (but loving it, as I am a big history buff), I decided to look for a few other historical figures.

I also found records for Charles Darwin, father of the theory of evolution, and to my surprise, he left what would amount to £13,000,000 ($20,000,000) today! Karl Marx, the father of communism was also in this record collection, and true to his communist roots, left a paltry £250 ($400). There are a host of other famous names among the more than six million records in this collection which has been published online by Ancestry.co.uk, the English branch of Ancestry.com. In addition to entertaining wayward researchers, they are also useful for finding information on your ancestors!

The records have been transcribed from calendar books dating between 1861 and 1941, and include both fascinating and factual information. The largest estate recorded in the records is one that would be worth over thirty billion dollars today, though most are much more modest. These probate records summarise the deceased’s estate, noting when and where they died, who the executors of the estate were, and the main (but not all) beneficiaries of the bequest. As you can imagine, they provide countless leads for family historians to explore long lost family fortunes or mysterious beneficiaries, as well as find out about how their ancestor lived, what they left, and most importantly, to whom.

If you have struggled to find details of an ancestor’s death, searching this collection could provide you with an ancestor. The collection also includes information on many who died outside of the UK – 20,000 who died in France, 4,500 in Australia, and 18,000 in the United States. There are however a few gaps during the time period covered by these records, namely between 1809 and 1903, and from 1910 – 1911. The records can be searched using a name, date of birth or death, and a location if you know it. Keep in mind though, that while searching is free, there is a charge for viewing or downloading a copy of the original document. You could however do what I did, take advantage of their free trial; just don’t forget to cancel before the date that full membership takes effect! Oh, and try not to get distracted like I did, unless of course that is your intention!